This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Blueberry Bush

in Fruit & veg
Last year I had nearly 4 kg of fruit from my blueberry bush, but despite changing some of the ericaceous soil in the pot, this year I have none at all. The flowers were there, but didn't develop into fruit. Any ideas as to why?
0
Posts
hi snowy43 my blue berrys bushes are blues my problem so far is lots of berrys but birds like them so I tied some string and put strips of plastic bags on and the fluttering stops birds the amout of berrys looks great can not wait to eat them ?? I feed mine with a weak solution of tom/ food looks ok so far as long as it is not to strong should help hope it helps Michael
Snowy I would think as you had flowers on they either were not pollinated or the plants got too dry so didn't set Fruit .You are better having more than one plant which helps pollination and don't forget to feed , even now with no fruit on.
Thanks Chrissy. I have been feeding it, but I'll get another plant.
Snowy43
Sometimes you won't get a lot one year from the next and I agree with chrissy
Thanks for your reply, Logan. Have bought another bush to go alongside the other one. Hope I get some fruit next year.
Should I prune the old bush? If so, when?
Thanks for your help.
Difficult to recommend pruning without a photo but certainly remove any weak spindly growth near the base. Once they are a few years old they benefit from removing (one or two only, early in the year) of the oldest branches, right back to the base. This will promote vigorous new shoots from the base which will bear the crops in subsequent years. Feeding with something high in nitrates early in the season will help these strong new shoots to grow and then switch to high potash feeds later to help promote flowers and fruit. Use feed for ericaceous plants as these contain iron in a form which can be taken up in the acid conditions that is needed to grow blueberries.
Last edited: 29 June 2016 18:40:36
Have you inspected where the flowers used to be? They may now just be stalks due to slug damage (little buggers got mine).